Neocortexes

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A specific region of the cerebral cortex that is associated with higher-order brain functions such as sensory perception and decision-making
2. The part of the brain involved in cognition, spatial reasoning, and complex social interactions within the context of mammalian evolution
3. A layer of the brain's cortex responsible for processing complex information, including vision, touch, and auditory input, playing a crucial role in conscious thought

Etymology: "Neocortexes" is the plural of "neocortex," and the plural is itself a small wrinkle: the word is built from Greek "neos," meaning "new," and Latin "cortex," meaning "bark" or "rind," so the whole term translates roughly as "new bark." The Latin "cortex" is an old word for the outer covering of a plant or tree, and it was applied to the brain's outer layer because that layer wraps around the rest of the brain much as bark wraps a tree. The "new" part refers to evolutionary history. The neocortex is the part of the cerebral cortex that is most developed in mammals, and it was named to set it apart from older, deeper brain structures, which are sometimes described as more primitive. The prefix "neo-" comes from the same Greek root that gives English words like "neolithic" and "neologism," and it became a common scientific building block in English. For the plural, English speakers can use "neocortexes" or "neocortices," both of which appear in scientific writing, with the Latin-style "neocortices" favored by many specialists.

Synonyms: cerebral cortexes, brain regions, neural layers, cortex, lobes